WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL BROKEN SHELLS

Here you will find stories, vignettes,
memoirs, and such pertaining to the seashore.
Most of the stories are of places I have been to and have fond remembrances.
Other writings are ones I hope you will find interesting or enlightening.
I love the beautiful ocean that gives us a sense of peace and tranquility.
It warms and heals us, it can be exhilarating and powerful,
making us realize in the scheme of things how small we really are.
Let’s find the perfect spot to sit and breathe in the salt ocean breezes
and feel the gentle ocean spray gently caress our face.
Let’s feel the sand between our toes…
Ahhhhh... we are here!
Can you see the sailboats in the distance,
can you hear the seagulls overhead?!






Monday, August 15, 2011

SEASIDE TREASURES - JEWELRY



I would like to introduce you to Oh My Creations and  would love to have you take a peek at some of our Seaside Treasures Collection from our Jewelry Line.. Here is a little bit about us and what we are all about:

WELCOME TO OHMYCREATIONS

My husband Joe and myself are ordained ministers and Artisans who enjoy creating captivating, nature inspired mostly one of a kind creations which are upscale and artistic. Our handmade Artwork is created to enhance your life. Our motto is "We are here to Adorn You" 

Our product line includes fascinating "Flaming Burning Rock Oil Lamp Candles", our own designer Perfume for people and pooches, our Spa line to include bath salts, sugar scrubs, fragrant massage bars, biblical anointing oils, one of a kind upscale jewelry pieces, decorated lighted wine bottles, Himalayan Salt Lamps and many more.
I have fourteen blogs and we are now in the midst of Art Shows, and trying to perfect each blog, so please be patient with us while we are adding our Seaside Jewelry items.  We are hoping you will say "OH MY!!" when you see our line of designer pieces.

Throughout our lives my husband and I have had a desire and need to add beauty and color to the world around us. We love taking amazing nature inspired natural stones, pearls, gems etc and placing them in gorgeous settings to adorn lives. My husband has a passion for fragrances, and he loves creating designer perfume and spa items, and biblical anointing oils. It absolutely delights us to see our designs and creations being enjoyed by our customers.

Joe is a multi-talented craftsman and has been working with different forms of Artwork and jewelry for years. His creations have a feeling of harmony and richness, and he has a flair for the classic look. He has a gift in administration and is surely a visionary. ps..I learned my jewelrymaking skills from him and I think he is the best!

I have always loved artwork.. all kinds and especially jewelry.. I am a bit eclectic in my creations and I find working with the whole spectrum of color so much fun. I do love to add a bit of whimsey into some of my artwork too! I am unconventional in most of my jewelry pieces.

We love traveling and hand-selecting each piece to incorporate into our mostly one-of-a-kind artwork. We find the result is well worth the time it takes.

PS ...We live in Port Saint Lucie, FL ... and  have 7 grown children and 10 grandchildren between us, and live with our darling pocket toyYorkie, named Gidget.. .be looking for her as our model for some of our dog boutique items coming up soon. We are looking forward to getting to know you better. We also can do custom orders if you are interested.
 
Blessing to all of you,












Joe and Donna Geertz
Oh My Creations

Here are some of our Seaside Treasures ...You can contact us at donnatrex@yahoo.com
Several of our pieces can found on either our Artfire store or our EBay store.  Our Jewelry is mostly one of a kind.  We do not duplicate our jewelry designs so you will be delighted to have your own unique pieces.  If you find something you like that has been sold, please let us know and we will create something close, but not exactly the same!
All of our jewelry pieces do not include shipping and handling, our shipping fees are on our store websites and are reasonable
Our EBay Store:
Our Artfire Artisan Store:
HERE IS A SMALL SELECTION FROM OUR SEASIDE TREASURES COLLECTION:
Blue Coral Stretch Bracelet Rare 
You would look far and wide to find a piece
of jewelry thisremarkable.  Genuine Blue Coral has to be one of the finest pieces of jewelry to own, especially if you love wearing blue jeans. Real coral is fast becoming extinct. This could be one of your prized pieces. $16.99


 
Chrysocolla Bracelet -The chrysocolla in this bracelet is a darker color than turquoise and has deep green however you will love it when you put on creative items and dress acordingly. The bracelet is 7 1/2 inches and is a real beauty. Accented with silver beads.  $42 










Red and White - All genuine coral and AAA rich white pearls... cute heart shaped closure $42 + S&H 












Feelin' Crabby - You will feel anything but crabby when wearing this darling whimsical set! Too many beads to mention, but we have included Jade, Peach Aventurine, Swarovski Crystal, gorgeous etched porcelain beads, and an incredibly adorable two toned silver/gold wire Crab front and center SS clasp .. what Fun! 125 SOLD











Mermaid Garden Set   This set is one of Donna's favorite designs...This one was six months in the creative process made just for you. I found the most adorable handcrafted mermaid and certainly paid the price for her, but I had to have her, she was calling my name LOL!  Pretty pink pearls too..  Blended with the coolest lampwork beads, she looks as though is set in an underwater garden! $165  












Starfish Blue - This beautiful bracelet with Caribbean blue beads and Hilltribe 99 Sterling Silver Starfish is just too cute! $42 SOLD



TURTLE TRANSFORMATION SOLD
Hawaiian Isles Perfume 1 oz. bottle
If you enjoy the summer tropical scent of Hawaii as the sweet smell of ginger captures the air you will simply fall in love with this. As a perfume designer this is one of my favorites. You can almost hear the ocean breezes and the waves breaking on the shore.   $19.99










Submersively Yours.




Donna/Donsie

Sunday, August 14, 2011

LITTLE SURFER GIRL


LITTLE SURFER GIRL
I want to share with you a loving and personal time I had with the Lord about eleven years ago or so, as I remember.  I lived in South Carolina with my late husband at the time, and my mother (who I was very close with) was in need of some company and attention.  My husband drove me to Florida, stayed the weekend,  and drove back to Charleston, leaving me with my mother for two weeks.  He did drive back down to see me on the weekends as we were very close and not used to being separated.
At that particular time, I was becoming more aware that my mother was in a place whereby she needed extra help more than just having the woman who came to clean her home and also did some caretaking several times a week.  Mother’s memory was failing,  she was repeating herself and seemed confused about many details.  I was drained during that week between taking her to doctor’s appointments, hair appointments, her banking, and catching up on some things she would never have left undone under normal circumstances. 
During this time, I was not spending my normal time with the Lord, and I could feel the difference.  I so longed to just get alone with God, but mother was so happy just having me near, whenever I would endeavor to find some one on one time, she would pop up!  Part of me was treasuring the special moments with her, as we never know how long we will have our parents.. and part of me was going crazy at not having some “me” time! 
I decided to go to a Wednesday night church service in the area.  Poor mother was upset about me going, saying I did not know the area well and she was afraid  for me to drive at night etc.. I assured her I would be fine.  As soon as I got in the car, she called all upset again..   Why did I have to go???  I thought silently to myself “for my sanity”!  I tried to soothe her concerns and said I would be home by eleven, as I knew her pastor and thought it might be a good time after church to share my observations about mother with him, and to ask for prayer for me and her.. which by the way did not work out. 

So, I was driving down the road, lamenting on how much I missed the peace I always experienced in Gods’ presence, I had become preoccupied with problems and not the one who settles problems.  I was also feeling guilty for feeling I needed some time to myself.  I decided to turn on the radio to relax on the way to church. The song “Surfer Girl” by the Beach Boys was on the radio.  I don’t know how God speaks to you, but for me, He speaks to me in a myriad of ways.  I must have a Bambi mentality because He does speak to me many times in Disney movies.. LOL or fifties oldies songs.. in fact I just love my girlfriends and when we get together and end up ministering it is not unusual for our sweet MaryAnn to start singing a fifties or old hymn song over someone, or JoAnn or myself.. and we will join in to help her with the words... it is so precious how God does that!  Anyway…….  Here are the words to the song:

BEACH BOYS SURFER GIRL

Little surfer little one
Made my heart come all undone
Do you love me, do you surfer girl
Surfer girl my little surfer girl

I have watched you on the shore
Standing by the oceans roar
Do you love me do you surfer girl
Surfer girl surfer girl

We could ride the surf together
While our love would grow
In my woody I would take you everywhere I go
So I say from me to you
I will make your dreams come true
Do you love me do you surfer girl
Surfer girl my little surfer girl
Well
Girl surfer girl my little surfer girl
Well
Girl surfer girl my little surfer girl
Well
Girl surfer girl my little surfer girl
Immediately I could hear in the spirit Jesus singing this song to me.  I began to cry and cry inconsolably at the thought that My Jesus felt the same way when I was not near to Him, He missed me not being near to Him.  I poured out ALL my concerns to Him and told Him over and over again how sorry I was that I had become overwhelmed with the things of this world and did not come to Him.  All my cares just seemed to slip away as I abandoned all my fears about my mother’s future.  I could not get over the words in the song .. that I could possibly make Jesus’ heart come all undone.. I was crying so hard I thought I would never stop. 
He had been watching me while I was on the shore..  with all my worries and concerns for my mother.  He was beckoning me to leave that place and to ride the surf with Him.. free from turmoil.  He asked over and over “Do you love Me”?   Oh my heart responded over and over..

“Yes Lord, I do love You”… I knew He was saying… “Do you trust Me”?   “Yes Lord, I trust You”.    


The thought of being in a Woody with Jesus with the wind blowing in our hair and us laughing together made me laugh and cry at the same time in relief.  Woody’s were so popular in the fifties when I grew up and they were always my favorite with the two toned wood siding on wagons. I used to surf in Los Angeles when I was an airline stewardess, and I always loved seeing the old Woody’s there.  I also loved seeing the strong surfer's riding the wave with the girls on their shoulders.
While the song played I could see myself in the Woody with Jesus.   He was wearing a white robe and I was in beach shorts and top with bathing suit underneath… Jesus  wanted to let me know He would be with me always .. He would take me everywhere I went.  I am never alone when I am with Him.  He had it all in control.   All I had to do was trust, and believe in Him and step into a deeper place of faith. 
My mother is now with the Lord along with my dear late husband .. They both went to be with Jesus within nine months of each other.  But my Jesus was and has been so there with me.  I am now living in Florida nearby three of my four children and their families, and remarried to a wonderful man who loves and cares about me. 
I learned that night in the car with the Little Surfer song, that no matter how overwhelmed we are … Father God has a place for us that will bring peace and well being.  We can find it, if we but come to Him… whether it be on His lap, in the cleft of the rock, under the shadow of His wings.. or on a surf board riding the waves of our circumstances!!! 
Jesus loves us and it makes His heart come all undone when we love Him and trust Him. 
Come join me as we ride the surf together with our precious Jesus .. conqueror and victor of all our circumstances. 
Let's catch a wave with Jesus!!
Submersively Yours,
Donsie

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

MAINE OCTOPUS STORY



MY MAINE SHORE OCTOPUS STORY!

When I was about five or six I went to my Godmother’s home in Maine with my family for a vacation. She either owned or rented a large old Victorian style summer home with her sister. I think they were spinsters. My mother was friends with one of the sister, but somehow they drifted away over the years. It was painted white with black trim and it had a porch with wicker furniture in green and cushioned seats with a flower pattern. There were three stories and a low picket type fence in front. It had a huge yard which came to an abrupt extremely steep cliff overlooking the ocean. There were pretty rambling rose vines and a double swing I so loved, with a place to put drinks too.

The garden as I remember, had wild flowers and the property was very shaded. I remember the sunsets being so pretty against the beautiful pine trees silhouetted against the sky. I so enjoyed the sound of the waves breaking against the rocks during the day, and with our windows opened at night. It was hot during the day, but the ocean breeze cooled me, and it got actually cold at night. Funny, I don't remember eating anything there. LOL! Maybe we lived on the salt water air and drinks!

The view was breathtaking, during the day, and ever so tempting for a young child to want to peer over to see the waves crashing against the cliffs. However, although I was an obedient child, I was a very quick and impetuous and as my Mother stated, “I was so quick and ran like the wind”! I am sure my parents envisioned me being my Sanguine self running like a free bird or twirling in circles while dancing, and dropping right off the end of the cliff.

Steep Cliffs at Maine Coast







Running like the wind!

Gorgeous View

Vintage Swing

Sunset in Maine

In the 1950’s parents had not taken psychology courses for raising children and sometimes the scare tactic was what was used. (Actually, Dr. Spock was popular back then with his permissive teachings. Thank God my parents thought he was full of hogwash, as so many children today raised by his methods in my opinion are rebellious and out of control .. I guess better late than never as he stated he was wrong years later .. too late for many children).

The Scary Octopus

Artist Thomas Kincade the Painter of Light's adaption of scary Octopus!


My parents were loving, but my Mother’s fear for my safety caused her to tell me not to ever go to the edge of the cliff without her or my Dad present, or a huge ugly octopus would be lurking ready to take me away to the sea. YIKES!!! I am surprised I wasn’t traumatized for life… hahaha! I was absolutely terrified of that cliff after her warning. I didn’t even want to be there with my parents after that, just in case the octopus was waiting for me! I think I was fully grown before I realized my Mother had made up the story to protect me!

It made me laugh so hard, when I became aware of the truth, and ever since that time, I have had great fun looking for jewelry with octopus and always enjoy wearing my treasures. In fact, when I started designing my own jewelry, I was delighted to find a darling sterling silver octopus to work with in creating the necklace set shown below. I planned to keep it for myself, but someone saw it on me at one of our shows and had to have it.

You can see it in our artfire.com shop if interested. There is a button on my site entitled "SHOP" that will take you there and look under the GALLERY. All our creations are one of a kind, no two are alike, but I may be able to make something similar, perhaps in another color, if I can still find any more adorable octopus to work with.

OCTOPUS’S DELIGHT NECKLACE CREATED BY ME! SOLD



STUNNING AND WHIMSICAL LAMPWORK OCTOPUS NECKLACE AVAILABLE IN OUR SHOP


kitchenandresidentialdesign.com Amazing Chandelier


Years later the Beatles came out with their famous song Octopus’s Garden. I loved this song and it had special meaning to me because of my “Cliff Story” in Maine. Here are the words to the song, and I have added the YouTube site for you to hear this song along with a cute video below, please double click right below here as the lettering is so light to take you to the site!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgPqmRNjoTE&feature=related


Chandelier Green


















OCTOPUS’S GARDEN SONG
The Beatles released 1969
I'd like to be, under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade
He'd let us in, knows where we've been
in his octupus' garden, in the shade.

I'd ask my friends to come and see
An octopus' garden with me
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade.

We would be warm, below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves
Resting our head, on the sea bed
In an octopus' garden near a cave

We would sing and dance around
because we know we can't be found
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade















We would shout(out) and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they're happy and they're safe
(Happy and they're safe)


We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden with you
In an octupus' garden with you
In an octupus' garden with you.


A note from a reviewer of this song named Jack 1/13/10 - This song was written by Ringo Starr after he temporarily left the Beatles for their not acknowledging his song writing abilities. During this time he spent time on a boat with a friend of his. He had ordered fish and chips but instead got squid and his friend had said that octopus actually make gardens of objects they find on the sea floor. And this is a good song regardless Harrison also helped with the composition of this song.

I have been to Main several times since that first childhood experience, in fact I was just there a year ago with my sweet husband Joe.. more on that at another time.. but, I cannot ever go back there without looking for a prize Octopus jewelry piece to take home as a rememberance! But alas, very few exist, so I now come home with Maine Blueberry items, such as soap and coffee.

Purple Octopus Chandelier


















My story it copyrighted
donnatrex@yahoo.com

RESTORATION
















Inn of Cape May, NJ

RESTORATION









During an intercessory prayer meeting recently, the word “Restoration” came forth. The year was 1999, and I was co-pastoring Heart To Heart Church with my late husband in Summerville, SC at the time I wrote this. As I heard that word, I was reminded of a time in 1987 when the church I was attending had a women’s retreat in Cape May, New Jersey.


The Windsor Hotel Cape May, NJ

The brochures of this Victorian Inn we were to stay at looked so elegant and inviting!! Although it was not a usual thing for me to leave my husband (who was my best friend), he thought the pampering I would receive would be a blessing, and so I parted for the weekend knowing I was going to miss him, but looking forward to some of the amenities a grand hotel offered. We had been ministering it seemed almost non-stop and I so needed some one on one time with God to replenish! Our hearts soared with anticipation as my husband packed our suitcases in the car, I gave him one last hug and kiss goodbye,and we headed for the shore. My friend Sharon was with me and our main topic of conversation on the way to our destination, was how we were looking so forward to basking in the sun, resting, and being pampered at this magnificent resort hotel, and how much we both needed this getaway. We had visions of massages, pedicures and wonderful intimate time soaking in bubbles and in God's presence.




Chalfonte Hotel Cape May

The Chalfonte

Lovely bedroom at a Cape May Inn

Cape May Lighthouse

Caroll Villa

We so much wanted to shop till we dropped at the adorable downtown charming and uniques places, and to have afternoon tea and sample some of the wonderful restaurants. My feet longed to walk along the beach to be alone with God, pick up sea shells, drink in the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean and be rejuvenated in the salt water. However, our anticipation was soon dampened as we pulled in front of the place of our dreams! Have you ever heard the expression “the picture didn’t do it justice”? Well, that was an understatement! Oh my… what a ranshackled old place! It was literally falling apart, and we hadn’t even seen the inside yet!



Bathtime Shop at Cape May Village

Entrance Way to one of the Inns
Tea Shop
I want to go here next time in Cape May!

Bayberry Inn

Lovely Gingerbread Porch


Stunning Porch

Too Cute!

Eating outside at Lobsterhouse Restaurant.. great Place


Dining Inside Lobsterhouse Restaurant

Sailing

Victorian Porches

Antiquing

Don't you just love the old Victorian Architecture?

Uncle Bills Pancake House ... this is such a fun place for breakfast .. be sure to get a window booth seating overlooking the ocean, and try their blueberry pancakes~~ YUM!

Carriage Ride at Cape May

Beautiful Porch

Where were the horse and carriage with footman pictured on the front of the brochure, what had happened to the gorgeous entrance way? We began to look for a bellhop, but that was out of the question, there wasn’t one available. It was a blistering hot day and to our surprise, the air conditioning was totally outdated and barely worked. To make matters even worse, the antiquated brass open caged elevator was broken. So, we had to carry our heavy suitcases, filled to the brim with enough items for a month instead of a weekend, to the third floor! Our room had two small double beds, an antique fan, and the only light was a bulb hanging from the center of the room. And what was this? If you put a pencil in the middle of the room it would roll to one end… and oh, the HEAT! We were seriously considering getting a room at another hotel nearby.


To make matters worse, we were informed that there were so many extra women coming to the conference and not enough rooms, so we would now be doubling up in the beds. Instead of just Sharon and I in one room, there were to be 4 women. We were to be sleeping in a bed with someone we didn’t even know! Some vacation!!! The only thing that kept us in the hotel was the fact that I was leading one of the groups and it would be difficult going back and forth from one hotel to another if anyone needed ministry.

Now to begin with, you couldn’t have known two women who were less suited for this situation. Sharon is “Miss Femininity” personified, and I am what my husband calls “Princess in the Pea”! Two High Maintenance Gals ... How could we ever endure this weekend? What we had thought we had bargained for just wasn’t happening. To make matters worse, no matter where we went in the hotel, other women were verbalizing their own frustrations at the accommodations. The only one who didn’t seem to mind was our pastor’s wife who was apparently mature enough to endure hardships from having been on the mission field! Our disappointment was evident as we assembled for the first evening meeting.



How many times do we think “Oh, God wants the BEST for His children. Surely He would pick the most wonderful place for His girls, wouldn’t He?! Why was God allowing this? Didn't He know what great expense it was for some of these women to leave their families and to even pay for such a weekend? But our wise Father God had something up His sleeve!


That first evening meeting, God moved powerfully among us. It was enough to begin to quell many of our concerns and give us a new perspective. After the guest speaker finished, my friend Sharon, found herself standing up crying, repenting, and sharing that she had always been afraid that if she truly gave all of herself to God, He would require her to go minister somewhere with the Pigmy’s and she’d end up in a pot!! The tension had been so great that it was just what we needed to lighten up the atmosphere, and other women began to stand up and share what God was doing in their lives that night. I found myself not only praising God for what He was doing in my friend, but for her openness that enabled us all to relax and begin to unravel. I was even able to jide her by saying we would have to go to a Safari store and somehow find satin pj's for here trip!! LOL! Women were crying, and laughing as God began healing them one by one.


Satin Leopard Pajamas for my friend's trip to Pygmy Land!

What a night to remember. God continued to heal as we met in small groups several times a day and at the meetings during the evening, but what was becoming evident to me was that God was using the natural to show us the state we were in, in the spirit. He wanted us to know that we may have come in looking like this old resort that no one would want to inhabit, but He was going to do a real “MAKEOVER” on our old houses!!! Someone had brought a book along called My Broken Shells by Carol Hamblet Adams..and I had one of those "Aaaaa HA" moments when I began to see a tapestry pattern emerge of what God was trying to speak to his daughters on this particular weekend... we were like the broken shells in her book, ALL beautiful to Him in spite of our weaknesses and broken pieces .. He wanted to "KISS" us to wholeness!

Beautiful Broken Shells

We had all come to this conference in some state of disrepair, and God was rebuilding us from the inside out. Oh, the beauty and splendor we could envision of how this Resort must have been in its heyday, and could be again with vision and some hard work. God wanted to restore us too, and He was using the decay, and shambles that we could see with our natural eyes in this old hotel, to show us the work He was doing in the spirit realm in each one of our lives. It is interesting to note that another word for “Restoration” is, “Atonement” … AT-ONE-MENT with God… God was wanting to make us whole and ONE with Him!

Some of the women came with poor foundations.. some had built walls of their own making to protect themselves from hurts. Some of us felt like we had even lost our minds and our elevators didn’t go to the top, just like the one at the hotel! There were those who had either lost, or allowed the storms of live to part them from their covering and their shingles had blown off (so to speak)! There were those in darkness or partial darkness( poor lighting) , where they wouldn’t allow God to turn on the light because of shame or fears. With some of us, our plumbing wasn't working and we were bottled up and living waters were not flowing out of us, or they were just a trickle out of the faucet of our hearts. Many had faulty electricity because they had not plugged into the real power source... JESUS!

God’s temples, falling apart, in need of repair, ….and the Master Craftsman was going to reconstruct us. Refurbishing was needed on the outside, remodeling on the inside, a time consuming task to say the least. But, we began to realize that our Heavenly Father takes delight in the work, for He has the BLUEPRINT for our lives and sees with eyes of love… the finished temple. Thank heavens when God works on us He doesn’t just patch us up, He totally recreates us (He makes all things NEW!). He brings us to RESTORATION with Him by totally recreating us!!

So, to get back to our intercessory prayer meeting: as the word “Restoration” came forth, my mind was flooded with the above mentioned memories of my weekend encounter with Jesus and all He had done in my own life personally that weekend. As the word “Restoration” came forth again.. God showed me an open vision and began to speak.

He said: “The word “REST” is in the word “REST-ORATION”. Our beloved Father is Restoring us not only so that we can be at peace and rest, but so that we will be a place for HIM to rest, and dwell. He then began to show me in picture-form what He was doing in His beloved, the believers, His bride. He began to show me how the things we were seeing either broken down or in disrepair in this old hotel related to where we were. He is restoring the foundations, bringing us back to basics and our first love.. His presence, the word, the cross, the blood, the passion, and, oh those foundations He is setting for us are so beautiful!!

He lays our foundations with sapphires!

Isa 54:11 -14KJV O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

He is replacing the studs that are ruined and bent with His plumbline, which is His word that makes all the crooked ways straight. He is replacing the windows .. “our eyes are the window of the soul”.. he is removing the dullness by placing salve upon our dim eyes, and removing all the smudges and debris.. the scales of deception, so we can see His truth. He has come to turn the lights on in our hearts, and to rotor rooter and unclog the plumbing, flushing out all unnecessary waste. He supplies us with fresh, living water to fill our every need, with an overflow of His presence that overflows onto others. I was reminded that He uses "burnt" stones in His building process.. WOW! what a word picture.. how many beleivers have been burnt in life and feel like they are nothing but charred remains? He is our insulation from the elements.. the offenses, the cold, hard circumstances that bruise our spirits… and the lies we are told by the enemy or others or even the ones we tell ourselves. Many of us have been living for years with our own self-made exteriors, those masks we wear to cover and barricade the interior (our hearts). He puts up a new exterior, His shield of Faith to cover and protect us. Those things that have been torn down by words, or relationships, or circumstances etc.. Father God wants to transform. He has come to rebuild the ruins from the ground up.

Isaiah 58:12 NIV Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

One of the women in the prayer group reminded us that when Solomon was having the temple built, they were not allowed to use hammers. I am so glad God does not hammer us and pound us.. He speaks tenderly to His beloved!

1 Ki 6:7 KJV And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Oh, Lord, how many of us use hammers when we try to build either others or ourselves? How many times do we try to control and hammer our beliefs into others, instead of being patient and moving and speaking truth in love?

Remember also, only those who had a “heart and mind to build and to work” could be used to help in the process during Nehemiah’s time.

Neh 4:6 KJV So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

Our hearts and minds must be to work in the harvest field, and then to build up and encourage. Only in this way can the process be one that is lasting. Love, and love alone must motivate us. It must be in our hearts and in our minds to work, to build up, and not tear down, or the process will be incomplete.

And so Lord Jesus, we say our sin and the storms of life have left our houses battered, worn and desolate… come and rebuild us. You, Lord Jesus are our remodeler; you have the MASTER PLAN for our lives. We ask you to mold us into what you desire for your good pleasure. We want to be fit for You to dwell in us. Come bring RESTORATION, find your RESTING place in us, and bring us to a place of peace and REST in YOU.

Word given to: Pastor Donna
Heart To Heart Ministries 9/2/99

Mwd/restoration

donnatrex@yahoo.com